Bidve's killer was 'trying to be cool'

A friend of slain Indian student Anuj Bidve has told a UK court that the Briton who shot him dead was 'hip-hopping' and 'trying to be all cool' when he approached them.

Anuba Gupta, a friend of Bidve, was among the group of students who were walking through Ordsall on December 26 last for Boxing Day sales in the Manchester city centre when Kiaran Stapleton shot Bidve from close range.

Stapleton, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility not amounting to murder, is facing trial in the Manchester Crown Court.

The trial is being attended by his parents, who have travelled from Pune.

Gupta said that Stapleton had approached the group "sort of bouncing".

She said in her statement: "When he (Kiaran Stapleton) came across the road towards us he was like hip-hopping, sort of bouncing, trying to be all cool".

When the gun went off it was like a plastic bag filled with air and burst, then the sound amplified 1,000 times".

She said that after the shooting: "Everyone was scattered. Someone shouted 'Oh my God look at Anuj. He's been shot'".

Earlier, Preetika Singh, another friend of Bidve's and a witness, told the court that she begged him to wake up after he was shot in the head by Stapleton, who was "laughing".

She told the court: "I heard my friend say, 'Don't sleep Anuj, wake up'".

Another witness, Sourav Mukherjee, speaking from behind a curtain, said: "I tried talking to him (Bidve) but he didn't respond. His eyes were half-shut, I heard slight breathing. I held his head and saw the wound".